How is everything going with you? I am due 12/25/13 and my protein is already in the 200s as well. But my BPs have been much much higher than yours and my OB still doesn't seem as worried as yours is. I totally trust him, and know he will do whatever needs to be done to keep both myself and baby safe, but was quite surprised to see the level of concern of your doctors with your blood pressures being so low. You mentioned that your goal is to make it to 26 weeks. Is this something that your MFM expressed as his/her goal for you? What did your previous pre-e pregnancies go like? I'm very interested to hear your story and how things are going with you now. Hope all is well!

How is everything going with you? I am due 12/25/13 and my protein is already in the 200s as well. But my BPs have been much much higher than yours and my OB still doesn't seem as worried as yours is. I totally trust him, and know he will do whatever needs to be done to keep both myself and baby safe, but was quite surprised to see the level of concern of your doctors with your blood pressures being so low. You mentioned that your goal is to make it to 26 weeks. Is this something that your MFM expressed as his/her goal for you? What did your previous pre-e pregnancies go like? I'm very interested to hear your story and how things are going with you now. Hope all is well!

They say knowledge is power, but sometimes I believe that knowledge is a curse!

2 weeks since my last post, am now 21 weeks 2 days, & the train is slowly leaving the station...

So the great news... We had an ultrasound - growth scan- on 7/22 with MFM & our baby is growing beautifully!!! With all of the complications that we've been experiencing, we also decided to ask about the gender & we are so thrilled to announce that we're having a boy!!! We also discovered that the issues with obtaining the heartbeat via doppler are to be expected because our placenta is anterior... its not laying low though, so its really no big deal. We have another ultrasound scheduled 8/22 for an additional growth scan. Now for the not so good stuff....

MFM confirmed what our OB had said about the protein levels & had said that we are at a very high risk of developing high blood pressure as a result. He also stated that once & IF they see the BP numbers increase to a consistent 130/80 or over, they will order another 24 hour urine to monitor protein levels. Our goal right now is to make it to 26 weeks, but every week after that would obviously be so much better. Our starting BP's were in the range of 105/65 & have been remarkably consistent, that is, until this visit...

Our BP was checked 7/22 twice - once when arriving & again after our ultrasound before departing, & was around 115-120/high 60's. Now grant you they aren't high, but MFM being cautious, has now ordered bi-weekly BP checks at the OB office & has instructed me to check it twice daily at home & report anything significant.

They say knowledge is power, but sometimes I believe that knowledge is a curse!

2 weeks since my last post, am now 21 weeks 2 days, & the train is slowly leaving the station...

So the great news... We had an ultrasound - growth scan- on 7/22 with MFM & our baby is growing beautifully!!! With all of the complications that we've been experiencing, we also decided to ask about the gender & we are so thrilled to announce that we're having a boy!!! We also discovered that the issues with obtaining the heartbeat via doppler are to be expected because our placenta is anterior... its not laying low though, so its really no big deal. We have another ultrasound scheduled 8/22 for an additional growth scan. Now for the not so good stuff....

MFM confirmed what our OB had said about the protein levels & had said that we are at a very high risk of developing high blood pressure as a result. He also stated that once & IF they see the BP numbers increase to a consistent 130/80 or over, they will order another 24 hour urine to monitor protein levels. Our goal right now is to make it to 26 weeks, but every week after that would obviously be so much better. Our starting BP's were in the range of 105/65 & have been remarkably consistent, that is, until this visit...

Our BP was checked 7/22 twice - once when arriving & again after our ultrasound before departing, & was around 115-120/high 60's. Now grant you they aren't high, but MFM being cautious, has now ordered bi-weekly BP checks at the OB office & has instructed me to check it twice daily at home & report anything significant.

Hello and welcome back Ah, no fun if you start out with difficulties right from the get-go:-( Having to worry about PE is nerve wracking enough. I remember in my last pregnancy how nervous I was when I hit 19 weeks. It seems that your doctors keep a good eye on you. Fingers crossed for uneventful weeks ahead. Congratulations on #8

Hello and welcome back :-)Ah, no fun if you start out with difficulties right from the get-go:-( Having to worry about PE is nerve wracking enough. I remember in my last pregnancy how nervous I was when I hit 19 weeks. It seems that your doctors keep a good eye on you. Fingers crossed for uneventful weeks ahead. Congratulations on #8 :D

I've been here previously, but it's been quite a few years... I had pre-e (for the first time) back in 2008 and delivered my daughter at 35 weeks 6 days on May 16th. I also made a brief appearance in 2010 when I was diagnosed with pre-e (again) at 38 weeks, but delivered on schedule (repeat c-section) at 39 weeks 2 days.

So I'm now expecting again, with an EDD of 12/2/13 and am currently 19 weeks 2 days. This pregnancy has been nothing short of a nightmare, which makes me strongly believe that this will more than likely (99% certainty) be our last.

So here's a little history before I tell you about this pregnancy...

I'm happily married to my high school sweetheart for 12 years, but have been together for 15 years. Together we have 7 children (currently expecting #8 - NOT including miscarriages). Our children, oldest to youngest, are Kira 13, Kaila 11, Kelly 10, Kobe 8, Kurstin 6, Kyleen 5, and Kory 3 1/2. Kobe, our 4th, was a twin but we lost that one at 13 weeks. Kyleen, our 6th, was a twin as well, but we lost that one at 8 weeks.

So we discovered we were pregnant with this one the very beginning of April & had our first OB appt. at 7 weeks 4 days. However, complications arose June 16th (father's day) after bleeding and a trip to the ER revealed we had a small placental bleed. We were also diagnosed as having Thrombocytopenia, which is essentially where your body attacks your platelets, and was referred to maternal/ fetal medicine. Maternal/ fetal medicine is monitoring our platelets and due to a previous PE (pulmonary embolism) have placed us on lovenox once/ day. As far as our platelets, they are currently still low, but not in the danger zone.

On June 29th (still bleeding from the 16th), I return to the ER for what feels like pre-labor symptoms. I was given IV fluids and the cramping stopped, but we were diagnosed with a UTI (urinary tract infection).

So I then return to the OB on July 1st for a normal check up. She couldn't find the heart beat though, so we were sent for an ultrasound. Thankfully they found the heart beat during the ultrasound, but the ultrasound revealed a 'complex area' measuring 6 cm located in the lower uterus. A day later I noticed more bleeding and the passage of clots. After a call to the OB, she tells me that the bleeding is expected and unless it gets heavier, we should be fine, but in the meantime I'm not supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk, no prolonged standing or walking. My next appt. is with maternal/ fetal medicine the 22nd.

As if that wasn't enough, due to my history of pre-e, maternal/ fetal medicine ordered a metabolic test & 24/hr urine for 'borderline' numbers. Well I aced the metabolic testing on 7/1 (yay!!); however, after completing the 24/hr. urine test 7/4 into 7/5, I was notified Monday, 7/8 that the results of that test have the OB concerned as my protein was 282. Grant you 282 IS below 300, which is great, but that means that our risk for developing pre-e is BEYOND extremely high and considering I'm ONLY 19 weeks, that is really really scary. Thankfully our blood pressures have been doing well, but the OB did say when she called that if the protein is rising, it is only a matter of time before the BP starts to rise as well. I did ask her if perhaps the 282 was normal for me & she said that it is highly unlikely because even though this is my first 24/ hr urine test with the pregnancy, all of the previous 'urine dips' didn't reveal any hint of protein, and if 282 was normal, it would've shown as something on those tests.

Hello everyone!

I've been here previously, but it's been quite a few years... I had pre-e (for the first time) back in 2008 and delivered my daughter at 35 weeks 6 days on May 16th. I also made a brief appearance in 2010 when I was diagnosed with pre-e (again) at 38 weeks, but delivered on schedule (repeat c-section) at 39 weeks 2 days.

So I'm now expecting again, with an EDD of 12/2/13 and am currently 19 weeks 2 days. This pregnancy has been nothing short of a nightmare, which makes me strongly believe that this will more than likely (99% certainty) be our last.

So here's a little history before I tell you about this pregnancy...

I'm happily married to my high school sweetheart for 12 years, but have been together for 15 years. Together we have 7 children (currently expecting #8 - NOT including miscarriages). Our children, oldest to youngest, are Kira 13, Kaila 11, Kelly 10, Kobe 8, Kurstin 6, Kyleen 5, and Kory 3 1/2. Kobe, our 4th, was a twin but we lost that one at 13 weeks. Kyleen, our 6th, was a twin as well, but we lost that one at 8 weeks.

So we discovered we were pregnant with this one the very beginning of April & had our first OB appt. at 7 weeks 4 days. However, complications arose June 16th (father's day) after bleeding and a trip to the ER revealed we had a small placental bleed. We were also diagnosed as having Thrombocytopenia, which is essentially where your body attacks your platelets, and was referred to maternal/ fetal medicine. Maternal/ fetal medicine is monitoring our platelets and due to a previous PE (pulmonary embolism) have placed us on lovenox once/ day. As far as our platelets, they are currently still low, but not in the danger zone.

On June 29th (still bleeding from the 16th), I return to the ER for what feels like pre-labor symptoms. I was given IV fluids and the cramping stopped, but we were diagnosed with a UTI (urinary tract infection).

So I then return to the OB on July 1st for a normal check up. She couldn't find the heart beat though, so we were sent for an ultrasound. Thankfully they found the heart beat during the ultrasound, but the ultrasound revealed a 'complex area' measuring 6 cm located in the lower uterus. A day later I noticed more bleeding and the passage of clots. After a call to the OB, she tells me that the bleeding is expected and unless it gets heavier, we should be fine, but in the meantime I'm not supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk, no prolonged standing or walking. My next appt. is with maternal/ fetal medicine the 22nd.

As if that wasn't enough, due to my history of pre-e, maternal/ fetal medicine ordered a metabolic test & 24/hr urine for 'borderline' numbers. Well I aced the metabolic testing on 7/1 (yay!!); however, after completing the 24/hr. urine test 7/4 into 7/5, I was notified Monday, 7/8 that the results of that test have the OB concerned as my protein was 282. Grant you 282 IS below 300, which is great, but that means that our risk for developing pre-e is BEYOND extremely high and considering I'm ONLY 19 weeks, that is really really scary. Thankfully our blood pressures have been doing well, but the OB did say when she called that if the protein is rising, it is only a matter of time before the BP starts to rise as well. I did ask her if perhaps the 282 was normal for me & she said that it is highly unlikely because even though this is my first 24/ hr urine test with the pregnancy, all of the previous 'urine dips' didn't reveal any hint of protein, and if 282 was normal, it would've shown as something on those tests.